The victory of the Taliban against the U. Iran has been one of the few countries whose embassy still remains open in Kabul. Shargh , a reformist daily, published an interview that emphasizes the opportunities for China, Russia, and Iran in a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
The West and particularly the U. Beyond potential geopolitics gains, the Taliban takeover may also create economic opportunities for Iran. The Islamic Republic has suffered greatly from unilateral U. Afghanistan may harbor potential for Iran to export its goods. Under these circumstances, the Islamic Republic has begun to rebrand the Taliban as a reformed entity whose rule will be different from what the world witnessed in the s.
This rebranding campaign is primarily being pursued by IRGC-affiliated outlets. The aim seems to be to justify and legitimize cooperation with an entity deemed hostile to Iran for almost two decades, especially among the Iranian public.
The same outlets — along with senior Iranian officials — are also exploiting the Afghanistan debacle for propaganda purposes, as a sign of U. At the same time, Iran, which is already home to some 2. Other options. Close drawer menu Financial Times International Edition. Search the FT Search. World Show more World.
US Show more US. Companies Show more Companies. Pakistanis have suffered hugely over the years at the hands of Islamist terror groups launching attacks over the border from Afghanistan. That means Pakistan has an interest in the Taliban acting firmly and not allowing Afghanistan to descend into an ungoverned space. The other great concern of Pakistan is a refugee crisis. The country already has about three million Afghan refugees from previous wars and, with its ravaged economy, it cannot afford to support any more.
Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK, Moazzam Ahmad Khan, told the BBC Today programme: "We don't really have the capacity to take more refugees in and that's why we're suggesting - and requesting - that let's sit down together and work on the possibility of avoiding that eventuality.
Perhaps the poorest are with the United States. Joe Biden has refused even to call Prime Minister Khan since he became president.
But that American view has not stopped other Western powers knocking on Pakistan's door. In recent days, foreign ministers from Britain and Germany have visited Islamabad. Italy's will go soon. Diplomats believe - or at least hope - that Pakistan still holds some sway over the Taliban. They also fear that shunning Pakistan risks encouraging the country even further into the warm embrace of China. The question of course is whether Pakistan really can influence the Taliban.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, widely tipped to be the leader of the new government , has in the past spent time in Pakistani detention.
Turkey is no stranger to the Afghanistan conflict, having been involved in NATO operations since The quick fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban left this proposal in doubt, however. Having control of the airport could open economic relations with the Taliban for Turkey and allow cheap Turkish goods to flood the Afghan market, while providing opportunities for AKP aligned Turkish construction firms to rebuild the war-torn country.
Controlling the airport allows Turkey to regulate what comes in and out of Afghanistan in terms of aid. Being the last NATO member in Afghanistan and a key point of communication between the Taliban and the West could provide Turkey with the regional mediating role it has long aspired to. Other powers such as China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan maintain diplomatic presences in Afghanistan and have indicated they will work with the new regime once the situation has settled down.
Turkish foreign policymakers have a history of pie in the sky thinking where rhetoric never meets the reality on the ground.
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